If you stumbled into TCO Performance Center the last few weeks, you’d notice that the Minnesota Vikings have a different energy. Players are ready to run through a wall for J.J. McCarthy, and they’re eager to finish the story coming off a 14-3 season that ended with a playoff loss in the Wild Card round.
However, somewhere in Georgia, things are much different.
Kirk Cousins is now a $27.5 million backup.
He probably wonders what could have been or why another team hasn’t made him their starting quarterback. There are several theories on why Cousins is in this situation. However, add it all together, and the man known as Kirko Chainz has created his own prison.
Cousins has professed his love for Creed, and if you’ve ever heard “Higher” a few beers deep on a Saturday night, who could blame him? But while Scott Stapp’s melodies can give any frat bro a second wind, Cousins’ situation is that of another song titled “My Own Prison.”
The song came together when Stapp wrote about his teenage experiences and how his choices had held him back.
Meanwhile, Cousins’ decisions have treated him well. He has $331.6 million in career earnings. However, he’s taken a backseat to Michael Penix Jr. entering this season. With Cousins doing his best to will a trade, his decisions over the past year have locked him into the Kellen Mond Memorial Doghouse.
It started a year ago when Cousins was contemplating leaving Minnesota. The Vikings had taken a quarterback in the 2024 draft, and Cousins was tired of them going “year-to-year” with him. Still, there was an avenue to stay in Minnesota until the Falcons offered him a four-year, $180 million contract.
It’s hard to blame any football player for taking the money when they can get it, but it’s natural to wonder what would have happened if Cousins had stayed. He likely wouldn’t have played for the $10 million price tag Sam Darnold signed for, and that would have kept the Vikings from signing key free agents like Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, and Aaron Jones.
Still, it could have been a chance for Cousins to have a last stand as a starting quarterback. He was coming off a torn Achilles, and it wasn’t a given that he would be the same passer he was before the injury. However, there was a sense of familiarity, throwing to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson while playing for Kevin O’Connell.
The Vikings wouldn’t have won 14 games without the free agents they added. Still, if McCarthy got hurt during the preseason, Cousins would have had no competition while he shook off the rust. If Cousins had won 10 to 12 games, he could have earned a similar payday, but he took the money immediately.
Atlanta made Cousins their starter, but it wasn’t the same. He was learning a new offense with new receivers in a new setting. Comfort is king for Couisns, who once said it was hard to grip the ball because of Garrett Bradbury’s butt sweat, and he never looked comfortable in his 14 games as a starter.
There was also a lot brewing behind the scenes. While the Vikings were transparent about taking a quarterback, the Falcons stunned everyone when they selected Penix with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft. As a result, Cousins played while looking over his shoulder the entire season. Injuries piled up, forcing him to the bench.
Many figured Cousins’ escape would have come off this offseason, but a few more factors kept him in Atlanta. General manager Terry Fontenot held out hope that some quarterback-needy team would be willing to take on some of the money in his iron-clad contract. However, no team was willing to take that risk with $52.5 million due over the next two seasons.
While both sides had a stalemate, the quarterback positions filled up. Cousins’ last hope may have been the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they filled their quarterback vacancy when Aaron Rodgers signed on Thursday. Teams like the Cleveland Browns or New Orleans Saints could also come calling, but their salary cap situations (and the Saints’ presence in the NFC South) could prevent a deal.
It leaves Cousins locked in a situation that he created. Penix could always get hurt and provide Cousins a redemption arc. Still, it’s a situation he could have avoided had he stayed in Minnesota for one more year. Vikings fans are thrilled with how his decision turned out. However, Cousins is left to ponder what’s next, and for the first time in his career, it’s out of his control.